Talented
by CurleyNai
Summary: Mr Soper announces a a surprise talent contest and all the students must prepare... but what happens when I.N.K. meets the new kids?
1. Chapter 1

**Talented- The story of the VERY talented girl and her friends**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own I.N.K. Invisible network of kids *cries*

**Zero's POV**

Great. Just Great. Mr Soper announced yesterday that we are to have a talent show in 1 week to "have a social experience" so that means everyone has to perform something. I guess that I can't worm my way out of it this time. Oh well, at least my friends can help me perform something, it's the least they can do. We are friends after all. "Sorry Zero, but I'm already doing a science experiment with Hector." Newton said when I told him of my plan.

"But Newton!" I protested

"Sorry, but I already agreed to help Hector. You can join us if you would like."

"Thanks but no thanks. I go see if Vin and Trixie are still free."

"Okay…" Newton said as I walked off to find my other friends.

**TEN MINUTES LATER **

Okay, so Trixie and Vin have proven to be a little bit harder to find than I had thought. I have looked EVERWHERE, the library, the toilets (girls of course), the cafeteria, the infirmary, Head Quarters and pretty much everywhere else that seemed like a normal place for my friends to go. There was only one place that I hadn't looked and sure enough they were there.

"Do you guys know how long it took me to find you?" I exclaimed once I had finally found them in the music room

"Approximately 15 minutes?" Trixie replied

I looked at my clock on my phone; Trixie was right, it had actually taken me 15 minutes to find them.

"So what did you want us for anyway Zero?" Vin asked

"I was wondering if you were in a group or something for the talent contest and if you wanted me to join."

"Oh sorry Zero, but Vin and I are performing a duet, I'm singing and Vin is playing the guitar."

"Okay, I can see you two are busy, I'll leave you now."

"You can join us if you want Zero!" Vin called to me as I left

"A duet only has two people Vin!" I called back already half way out of the building and hurt that my friends started without me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Talented – Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own I.N.K. I wish I did though... :D

**Zero's POV**

**ON THE OVAL **

Hmmm, what to do now that my friends are doing things that I can't be a part of aka Newton's science experiments, I don't really understand science so there really was no point joining their group and Vin and Trixie were performing a duet and as I said before a duet only has two people, not three. Hmmm, what to do. I guess my original idea for a band with my friends won't work, but maybe some other kids and I could form a band and play for the talent show. I began to walk to my room to get some quiet time to think when I bumped into someone.

"Hey! I'm Zach what's your name?" said the someone I bumped into. As I woke up from my dilemma I saw a boy a bit taller than me with kind hazel eyes and short-ish chocolate brown hair.

"I'm Zero. Are you new?"

"Yes this is my second week at Pinkerton. How long have you been here for?"

"I've been here for 3 years now."

"Oh so you would of heard about the talent show yesterday then."

"Um, yeah,"

"You probably already have a partner or something"

"Uh, actually I don't, you see I wanted to form a band, but everybody already was in a group."

"Oh!" Zach said looking as if what I just said brightened up his day "Do you want to go in a group together?"

"Sure, nobody else wants me in their group."

"So what do you think we should do for the talent show? I think your band is a good idea."

"Oh thanks! Okay, so I was thinking if we could get another two people to play instruments or something it would sound really cool."

"One of my friends can play the drum-kit and another can play the electric guitar."

"Okay, so what do you play?"

"Oh, I play the keys."

"Cool so that means we have a drummer, an electric guitarist, a keyboardist and a singer, provided your friends want to join."

"I think they are free enough to play for the talent show. Who's the singer?"

"The singer is me."

**THREE DAYS LATER**

Vin's POV

"Hey Trixie, have you seen Zero lately?"

"No, I haven't seen her since she left of the music room the other day."

"I go look for her."

"I'll help you."

We split up in search for Zero.

**TEN MINUTES LATER **

"Hey Vin. I found her. You may want to see this."

"Be right there. Wait, where are you?"

"Out the front of one of the practice rooms in the music centre"

"I'm coming over now."

What would Zero be doing at the music centre? Why did Trixie sound so surprised? Something's not right here… I thought to myself as I walked to where Trixie was standing.

"Look through the window Vin." Trixie whispered to me

And when I did I saw Zero in a band like she wanted to be from when Mr Soper announced the talent show with three guys that I didn't know. They were playing some pretty good music. That was when I realised who was singing. No it wasn't one of the guys, it was Zero. Yep. Zero.

"There is no way that she would agree to do that."

"Vin, did you ever think that that she was going to sing if we agreed to join her."

"Uh, no. Zero didn't seem the type to sing."

"Well she can sing quite well. If we want to have a chance to beat her then we have to work even harder now. Quickly duck! Zero's turning around. She must not be allowed to see us!"

I did as I was told and not a moment too soon. Trixie beckoned to me to listen to what they were saying.

"Great job, guys!" Zero's voice said

"Okay! So what song to practice next?" one of the boys said

"What about 'Gives you Hell'?" said another voice

"I think we should practice 'Kids Wanna Rock'!"

"I like Josh's idea." Zero said (note: Josh is the first guy to speak XD)

"I second that." Said a third voice

"All for 'Gives you Hell'?"

"YES!" the boys said together

"Okay. 1…2…3…4!" Zero said as she counted them in

"We probably should go now" I whispered to Trixie

She nodded her head in agreement and as we left I heard them start playing again. Man they could play, but what made me stop were the lyrics that Zero was singing. Oh crackers. What have we done to make her sing so passionately in this song? Is she just really mad at us for joining other groups? Or is she singing about something else?


	3. Chapter 3

**Talented - Chapter 3 **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own I.N.K. D:

**Zero's POV-Zero's Room, HALF AN HOUR LATER**

I swear I could hear something outside the music room while we were rehearsing. Like somebody was listening to the band practicing. Oh well. I switched my MP3 on and began listening to music. There was something I had to do. Oh now I remember! I was going to find a photo to enter into the photo competition that's running as well. I open the blue photo album and turn to the first page. I then saw a photo that I haven't seen in ages and I really didn't need to see again. It was a photo that was taken at my 15th birthday party (Zero's 15-ish XD) of me and my ex-boyfriend Justin. My MP3 player was still playing while I was looking at the album and when I looked at that picture 'Forever and Always' came on "Once upon a time, I believe it was a Tuesday when I caught your eye…" I sang to myself as it was playing and began to cry softly ((I know Zero hardly ever cries but I want her to cry so she is crying)) as I turned the pages of the album. I was reading the tabs at the bottom of them, 'Justin and Zero at Charlotte's End of Year Party', 'Justin and Zero in Melbourne on a school excursion', 'Zero and Justin at Zero's Party to End all Parties' I grinned as I remembered the last one, and so on, realising that after all we had been through he could he just leave me outside my house after our last date saying 'We can't be together anymore'. How could he just do that? I remember that I cried myself to sleep that night. How I have I changed since that night. I don't leave my emotions where people can sabotage them and I keep to myself so I can't get hurt. I was still crying when I heard someone knock on my door.

"Hey Zero. It's me Vin. Can you let me in?" Vin said

I stared at the door in shock and hurriedly packed away the photo albums

"Zero? I'll come in if you don't answer soon!" Vin's voice began to sound panicky

"Okay! Okay! Jeez…take a chill pill!" I said as I had put away the last album "You can come in now."

Vin entered the room "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Vin, I'm fine!"

"If you say so… I heard you practicing for the talent show, you sounded good."

"So I _did _hear something outside the practice room! It was you!"

"And Trixie" Vin mumbled

"AND Trixie? Can't leave me alone can you?" I said as I shoved Vin out of the room and slammed the door on his face


	4. Chapter 4

**Talented – Chapter 3 **

**Disclaimer: **I don't own I.N.K.

**Vin's POV **

Okay, something must be wrong for Zero to slam the in my face, I'm pretty sure that I heard someone crying in Zero's room, but Zero never cries. Or does she? I've never heard her cry except for the time that she was erased and… well that other time… I'll talk to Trixie about it, she knows more about Zero than I do it seems. I think Newton wanted to meet me in the library for something, I probably should go soon.

**LATER IN THE LIBRARY**

"…so that's why when you mix bi-carb soda with vinegar it explodes!" Newton said "Were you even listening?"

"Huh? What?" I said Newton was explaining what he was doing for the talent show, but I had phased out as soon as he had said 'chemical reaction'.

"Oh I know you were thinking about Zero weren't you?"

"No…" I said turning a bright red

"Yes you were! You were thinking what had made her so upset to slam the door in your face before and why she wanted to create a band for the talent show."

"How? How did you figure that out and how do you know that she slammed the door on my face?"

"The video cameras outside her room told me a few things…"

"You saw her slam the door in my face?"

"Yep, I can play it back for you if you would like, it was pretty funny."

"I don't see how it could be funny…"

"It record sounds too, you can even hear the sounds from her room before you came to her door."

"Fine you can play it back to me later."

"Hehe. Your face was soo funny!"

"Okay, you can stop talking now!"

So of course Newton began laughing like an idiot "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"You can stop laughing too!'

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed Newton oblivious to my pleas to stop

"NEWTON! Please stop laughing like an idiot!"

"Sorry but your face was just too funny not to laugh." Newton said, only just managing to stop another idiotic laugh "I'll meet you in headquarters in fifteen minutes, I've got to see Hector about our presentation or the talent show."

"Okay, I'll meet you there."

**FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER IN HEADQUARTERS**

"Okay, so how do you work this thing?" I asked Newton

"It's quite simple really all you have to do is turn this switch to the 39th notch then flick this switch and say what part of the system you would like to use into the microphone."

"Can you please repeat that?"

He face palmed before he continued "You turn _this_ switch to the 39th notch then flick _this_ switch and say what part of the system you would like to use into _this_ microphone-speaker." Newton said slowly and putting emphasis on all of the words when he pointed to the items that he was talking about.

"Oh, now I see." I said, finally understanding what Newton was talking about, sort of… not really…_

"Can we start the viewing now?" Newton said pulling up the comfy swivel chair

"Okay. Hey! It's not a movie cinema!"

"But I think that it is a movie cinema! So I'm having popcorn while I watch you epic fail!"

"Newton!"

"Okay, here we go." Was the last thing I recall that Newton said directly to me before he spoke to the microphone "Video Replay"

"_Welcome to the video replay system Agent Newton_" said a voice from the computer's system as it logged into the video replay.

**THROGH THE SCREEN OF THE COMPUTER **

Vin walks up to Zero's door but pauses just as he is about to knock on her door.

"Hey Newton, do you think that you could amplify the sound coming from Zero's bedroom?"

"You do realize that she will kill you if she ever finds out you did this."

"But nobody is going to tell her are they?"

"No, but…"

"Great, can you amplify the sound or not?"

"I can…" Newton played with some of the keys and suddenly I could hear noises coming from Zero's room, crying noises

"Ha! I knew I heard crying coming from her room!"

"Well the sound detector hardly ever lies so yes, there is definitely crying coming from her room."

"Hey, I can hear something else. Can you zoom in more on that sound?"

"I think so." Newton again began to tap away at the key board and yet again I could hear things I normally wouldn't notice "Can you hear that? It sounds like a song."

"It's Zero's MP3! Wow this player can really zoom in on sounds!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Talented – Chapter 5 **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own I.N.K.

**Zero's POV **

**A FEW DAYS LATER IN THE PRACTICE ROOM **

"Why can't we sing 'Kids Wanna Rock'?"

"No, Oscar, we've been through this." Zach said to Oscar, one of Zach's friends that he had asked to join the band "We voted for "Gives you Hell'."

"But 'Kids Wanna Rock' is a really good song!" Oscar protested

"IF we win and got the state talent contest, we can play 'Kids Wanna Rock'" Josh compromised "Is everybody okay with that?"

"Sounds good" the boys agreed "Zero?"

"Whatever, as long as we can get back to practicing."

"Okay! Let's do it!" exclaimed Oscar enthusiastically as he began a fast drum beat on the kit

Zach began the keyboard part soon after with Josh on the guitar (( Note: They are playing 'Gives you Hell' for the talent show so they are practicing the piece :D ))

At the end of the rehearsal, Zach came up to me and asked me if i was doing anything tonight and if I wanted to go with him to a rock concert. I agreed when I found out what bands were playing, as they were my favourites.

"Sure. I'll come, I have no homework tonight so that seems okay." I answered after he had asked me about coming to the concert

"Cool! I'll meet you at the front gates at 6 o'clock tonight."

'Okay. See you then."

So what to do until then I wondered to myself, I soon decided to go and talk to Trixie about what to wear, Trixie would suggest a dress, but there was no way that I would wear a dress no matter what Trix said. It was a rock concert after all.

**LATER IN ZERO'S ROOM SURROUNDED BY CLOTHES**

"Come on Zero, wear the dress."

"NO TRIXIE!"

Trixie, as I had expected, was trying to convince me to wear a dress. To a rock concert. She's mental!

"Why not?" she asked

"It's a rock concert, not a spring ball Trixie."

"But…"

"I said 'no' Trix. I am NOT wearing a dress tonight."

"Fine. Wear your red shirt sleeve top and your black skirt. That would look good if you won't wear the dress"

"Thanks Trix!" I quickly got the clothes Trixie suggested and put them on after she had left the room to go and disable the locking system Macbeth had put on the doors to stop us from getting out. I looked at the clock. It was already 5 to 6! I left quickly and went to the door where Trixie was waiting for me.

As I reached the door I heard Trixie say that she was ready from HQ to open the doors and gates.

"Thanks Trix! I really appreciate this!" I replied through my headphones

"No problem Zero. I hope you have a good time." Then the doors opened and revealed Zach in a dark purple shirt and bootleg jeans and we left for the concert hall nearby.


	6. Chapter 6

**Talented – Chapter 6 **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own I.N.K.

**THE NEXT DAY**

Zero's POV

Okay, last night was, in two words, really cool. Zach's dad happened to know the members of the band and got backstage tickets, which included a meeting after the concert with the members. I got heaps of ideas for our performance in the talent show, which is tomorrow! I think we're ready but, anything can happen at Pinkerton…

Vin's POV

Last night was, in a word, terrible. I forgot to go to the practice room so I could practice with Trixie for the talent show, so I got an earful from Trixie, Zero disappeared with that new kid and I ran out of hair gel. So now, I don't know what Zero thinks of me, Trix thinks that I am slacking off in the duet thing and my hair, well, it looked (and still looks) like it's been electrified. Yep, last night was miserable.

It was about five to six last night when I decided to walk to the dining room to see if they had anything to eat (I hadn't had lunch and was hungry), but I took the long way that went past the door going outside and I saw Zero and that new kid that's in the band with her, leave to go somewhere, I hope they didn't see me stay and watch them leave from my hiding spot behind the bench that was next to me. So, I saw the thing and then, after I had something to eat, I went back and waited for them to return ((yes Vin is jealous of Zach XD)), but I fell asleep waiting. When I woke up it was morning and Zero had already been through the doors to come back because she was walking to the first class of the day. First class of the day…Oh no. That class is Macbeth's maths class! I rushed up to my bed room to get out of my PJ's, at least then I would not look like a complete dork coming to class, and get yelled at even more by Macbeth. I get to the class one second late; it can't get any worse than this. Oh the world just loves to prove me wrong, because next thing I know, Macbeth is telling me that I have to write out "I must not be late to Macbeth's maths class" one million times. Doesn't sound so bad? Sure, if you didn't also fail the maths test that we did last week and you tried really hard…ish so you have to get tutoring *again*, so basically, my life sucks right now.

**ONE MINUTE LATER IN MACBETH'S 'MATHS' CLASS**

No one's POV

"Today class, we are going to learn about talents." Macbeth had begun the 'maths' class and was pausing in the middle of her sentences dramatically "Yes talents that all you stinking little brats are showcasing tomorrow in the talent contest."

"Ms Macbeth isn't this supposed to be a maths class?" Kathy ventured to say

"Why yes it is." Macbeth said in her high voice that she used for Mr Soper, but quickly changed into her normal voice for kids when she said "But I'm the teacher here so I get to choose what I teach you dratted kids!"

Everyone shrank back in their seats, Macbeth was in a rage, and when she is in a rage, you don't want to cross her. That is of course, excluding Zero who while everyone shrunk back even more, she remained unmoved in her seat as Macbeth continued on her rampage.

"As for you Kathy, you will right out 'I must not ask questions in Macbeth's classes' one thousand million times!"

You would think that they would've run out of room to shrink back into their seats after all of her yelling, but the students apart from Zero somehow managed to find more room. So, by now all you could see was the tops of their heads apart from Kathy, as she was completely hidden by the table.

"Now where was I?" Macbeth had begun her reattempt at beginning the 'maths' class "Oh yes, talents. Today we are going to test to see whose talent is the strongest by using the talent machine that was generously given to us by Professor J.B. Jones professor in the study of talents. It will measure the amount of talent ability you have and how much it can improve to its full capability, not that I will help you in improving, as you are all stinking little brats. You will be all called to come to the machine at some stage today and you will come in order of your first name. Ben as you are the first on the role you will enter the machine first, and Zero, as your name is last you will enter the machine um…errr last!"

"I don't like the sound of that machine" Trixie said quietly into her communication pen "It may be another one of her evil schemes. I think that we should see what it does first, good thing our names are near the end of the role."

"It might really just be a talent reading machine, but we better be careful." Newton suggested.

They were then surprised and interrupted as Macbeth said "You may now all go and have the rest of the class free while the talent machine tests your talent ability."

The members of I.N.K. looked at each other as the rest of the class all cheered and raced out and the doors except for Ben, as he was the first to be tested in the talent testing machine. The members of I.N.K. soon followed suit and left the classroom.

**ON THE OVAL A MINUTE LATER**

"Bertha! Come to Ms Macbeth's classroom immediately for your talent test!" Macbeth's voice screeched over the PA system

"Ben's talent test obviously has finished let's go and see what the machine did to him." Trixie suggested

"Okay." The rest of the members of I.N.K. agreed, as they walked over to Ben

"Hey Ben!" Vin exclaimed as a greeting to Ben as soon as they walked over to him

"Oh, hey Vin, Zero Newton and Trixie" Ben said in reply, blushing as he said Trixie's name

"Lucky you, the first one to use the talent machine!" said Vin "Can you tell us all about it?"

"Uhhh, sure! I guess." Ben replied "Well it's this really big machine that you step into, like a photo booth and then a helmet gets put on your head that reads your brain, I think, and it tells you what your talent is if you have one and how powerful your talent is. But Ms Macbeth is going to tell all of us our scores and talents in her next lesson. I can't wait for that to happen!"

"Thanks Ben." Trixie said as the members of I.N.K. left Ben and walked over to the part of the playground that they normally hang out on. Once they were back there they discussed the talent testing machine which they shortened to TTM

"Ben wasn't acting any different than normal, so the machine mustn't have done anything to him." Newton said

"So it's safe to have our talents tested in the TTM?" Vin asked

"As far as I can see, yes it's safe to use the TTM" Trixie replied

"Awesome!" Vin exclaimed punching the air as he jumped. Zero and Trixie looked at each other and rolled their eyes a smile tugging on their lips at Vin's outburst.


	7. Chapter 7

**Talented – Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own I.N.K.

**No one's POV**

**AFTER THE TALENT TESTINGS- LATE AFTERNOON **

"All students are to come to Macbeth's classroom to receive the results from the talent testing machine." Macbeth's voice screeched over the PA system. The kids of Pinkerton came to the classroom as soon as they heard the news, either from Macbeth's announcement (which was hard to miss) or they heard it from their fellow classmates, who had heard the announcement. Pretty soon they had filled the classroom and were in a mass of excitement each one of them wondering what their talents were rated as. Macbeth had a pile of papers next to her and was leaning on them, just as the members of I.N.K. walked into the room.

"Silence! Silence! Silence!" Macbeth screeched at the children and they stopped talking immediately as she could be quite scary when she screeched at them. Once they were all silent Macbeth began to read out the results and hand out sheets of paper to the students that had their results on it "Burt-Talent: Athletics, Score: 60 out of 100 talent points" and so the talents were read out in the order of the roll. Newton was the first to get his results back and was slightly disappointed that he didn't get 100 talent points but he got 80 points for sciences. Trixie was next to get hers, she got 76 points for singing, which at that time was the highest anyone had got for singing. Vin got 86 points for guitar playing. But it was Zero who surprised everybody. She was last to get hers in the whole class and was the last member of I.N.K. to receive the scores. She didn't want to share her scores with anyone which wasn't a problem because Macbeth had lost her voice from yelling everybody's scores about when Vin got his results back, it was wavering then, when she had got to Zero she was completely silent. But why she didn't want to share her scores with anyone else was a mystery, especially to her close friends.

"Come on Zero! Just show us your scores, you know ours." Vin pleaded to her, putting a pleading look once she had got her score and the class was dismissed "Please?"

Zero just shook her head.

Burt began to tease her "Poor Zero must have got a bad score. Any wonder she wouldn't want you to know, it would make her look like a useless friend to the people who got a score over 50!"

"_Tace!_" Shouted Zero at Burt and ran off into her room, slamming the door shut in fury.

"_Tace_?" Vin asked

"It's Latin for 'shut up' Vin. How she knows it, I have no idea." Trixie responded

Once she had shut the curtains and locked the door and made sure there was no cameras in her room, she looked at the piece of paper she held in her hands, Even Zero, who didn't expect to do well, was surprised that she nearly got 100 points out of each of the talents listed, and there was no order of which talent she did better in. She got 99 points for every single one of them. Singing-99 points, Drums-99 points, Dancing-99 points, Athletics-99 points, Leadership-99 points, Language-99points and so on. She was amazed, but still didn't want to show anyone her scores.


	8. Chapter 8

**Talented – Chapter 8 **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own I.N.K.

**Zero's POV**

I stared at the paper. There had to be a mistake, there was no way that I could have possibly got 99 points in each talent section. Sure I'm good at these things but not THAT good. I decided to hide the scores in the cupboard next to my bed, as at the back of the cupboard had a secret compartment that only opened after a finger scan. I had just put the scores in the compartment when I heard a knock at the door.

"Hey Zero, are you okay? Can I come in? You know if you got bad score you don't need to be ashamed." Vin said

How wrong he was.

"Zero?"

I sighed and decided to let him in knowing that he wouldn't give up knocking at the door if I didn't and after all, the sheet was safely hidden; there was no way he could possibly find it.

"Yes Vin?" I said as I opened the door, annoyance showing slightly in my voice

"Well I was just wondering why you don't want to tell anyone your scores."

"Well Vin," I said beginning to become more irritated with him trying to pry into my results "I was going to tell Trixie, Newton and you later today in headquarters, but since you keep asking me about my scores I'm not going to tell you today."

"But…"

"No 'buts' Vin, I've made my decision, you're not going to see or hear my results today or any other day until I feel like telling you." I finished as I shut the door, leaving Vin in the corridor. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

I heard Vin stomp off somewhere and once I decided that I was completely alone, I opened the draw. The scores had to be wrong. It's not possible for me, Zero, to have bested Trixie at anything other than fighting. It's not possible for me, Zero, to have bested Newton at pretty much anything. It probably is possible though, that I could beat Vin at a number of things but still he trumps me on the popularity scale. So there is no way that I could have gotten those scores, there probably Newton's, Vin's or Trixie's. Not mine. I quickly hid them again in the draw as I left for lunch.

**LATER THAT DAY… IN THE PRACTICE ROOM**

**Zero's POV**

"ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!" I counted in the band for our last practice session before the contest, I knew that Vin had been watching my band practice for a while and smirked when I see his face through the window. Even if he's a secret agent, outside missions he's hopeless at stealth. Completely and utterly hopeless. He was probably trying to call a 'mission' to raid my bedroom to find where I put my scores. 'Good luck with that Vin,' I thought to myself sarcastically knowing how well my privacy is kept by Trixie, but really Newton is the problem. He probably could crack my secret compartment and get the scores if he had the time. I really need to get a better compartment for stuff.

Once we had finished practice I walked back to my room. As I opened the door I saw my room in a mess, well, messier than it normally is anyway, and the compartment in the draw open, the scores gone.

"Damn it Vin." I said to myself, frustrated that it was so easily opened.


End file.
